£10,000 gift funds training of dance leaders

DAZL dance company, based in south Leeds, is among a host of groups in the area that have benefited from funding to the tune of £100,000 to help a range of new initiatives.

The money has come from Leeds City Council’s Inner South area committee, with DAZL being given just under £10,000.

DAZL offers a range of fun, relevant and accessible dance opportunities aimed at improving health and wellbeing for disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people in Leeds.

Ian Rodley, artistic director at the charity, said the money would be used to train 20 young people from the area to be Community Dance Leaders.

He said: “They’re all aged 16-25 and they’re going to be trained with our experts to start their own community dance groups.

“They’re all young people who come from the area and it’s a chance to spread the dance message and put something back into the community.

“They’ll get experience and the chance to get a job and make some money doing something they’re passionate about.”

The committee asked for submissions from projects that would benefit the area, with more than £300,000 worth of funding requests coming forward.

Out of those submissions 13 projects have been approved, all of which will be put in place by April 1.

Coun Angela Gabriel, chair of the inner south area committee, said: “We’re really excited about the range of activities for young people that we’ve agreed to fund for 2013/14.

“Many of the projects will be delivered by organisations that we haven’t funded before or from organisations that have proposed new and innovative opportunities for young people in the area”.